My legs are getting stronger...and my swimming sucks...

I just got home from swimming at the YMCA. I signed up for a membership and did my long swim.

I was really enjoying my swim until an old lady and a guy with surfing swim trunks were swimming close to my speed or faster for a few laps. For all the swimming I do, you would think I would be faster. It was depressing.

I don't know what the problem is, but I really want to get faster at swimming.

When I was in my early 20's, I swam the Ironman at 1:55 per 100 meters. Last year I was 2:25 per 100 meters during races. With the swim club, I think I've improved to around 2:10 per 100 meters.

My goal would be at minimum to swim as fast as I did in my 20's, and ideally I'd like to swim at least 1:45 per 100 meters.

I found out that there is a weekend "swim immersion" clinic at McMaster University in February, but it is full. I signed up on the waiting list. This clinic is 1 coach to every 6 students and they use video taping, classroom lessons, etc. It is a two day, all day event and a proven system put on by a company from the United States.

I hope someone cancels because I need something to help me.

My run was good. I did 50 minutes and I could feel my legs getting stronger. In the past, to get fast, I would run everyday. My body would respond by my runs getting faster as my legs got sorer. It sounds strange, but it's true.

I purposely have not run everyday because of my chronic calf problem and I figured it would be best to rest it and not run everyday.

Although with the new training program I'm not running everyday, but combined with the other workouts, I'm getting the old leg building soreness I used to get that helped improve my speed.

Overall, with the biking, running, swimming and most importantly the weight training, my body is feeling stronger.

As a matter of fact my weight is going up due to new muscle growth.